


care

by ballerinaroy



Series: nineteen years later seems pretty far away [15]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Family, Family Bonding, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-03
Updated: 2020-02-03
Packaged: 2021-02-28 01:21:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,442
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22545460
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ballerinaroy/pseuds/ballerinaroy
Summary: The last thing David Granger had been expecting that evening was his daughter to call. But he's always there to welcome her with open arms.
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley
Series: nineteen years later seems pretty far away [15]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1263350
Comments: 6
Kudos: 46





	care

Since meeting in dentistry school, David and Helen Granger had spent very little time apart. They’d taken classes together, gotten jobs at the same practice straight out of school and since moving into that tiny first flat, David couldn’t remember a single night apart from his wife.

He could still remember, one evening, they’d finished closing up shop, and were walking to their car when Helen had stopped and looked over at him and said, “I wish we had more time with one another.”

David had teased her because it seemed so insane, but he’d felt it too. Never stopped feeling that way.

Departing and then returning to England had only intensified that feeling he supposed. It wasn’t that they were one person incapable of spending time apart, they simply preferred each other's company.

Even so, he’d wholeheartedly encouraged her to go to the conference, incredibly proud that she’d been asked to speak at the event aimed at encouraging young women to go into the medical field.

“They’re just so enthusiastic David,” she said that evening as they spoke on the phone after dinner. “All these ideas and questions.”

“Sounds like Hermione,” David replied.

“A room full of them,” Helen said with a little laugh. “What are you doing this evening?”

“Besides waiting for your call?” he asked and she gave an amused little snort. “I’ve got plenty to keep busy, Richardson asked me to look over his study you know, thought I might have a crack at that.”

“Mmh,” she agreed, “Well, be sure to give me the highlights. I’ve got to get ready, I’ll talk to you in the morning?”

“Have fun,” he replied. “But not too much.”

“Never.”

As the evening wore on, David found himself often looking up from the papers he’d agreed to review to ask Helen a question or else point out a fact she might enjoy, only to find himself sitting alone in their front room, a cup of tea growing cold beside him.

By the time that the news signed off and he’d checked the locks, David had to admit to himself that he was quite lonely, having spent the evening by himself. Their brief phone conversation hadn’t been nearly long enough to hear everything about her day before she had to go off for the evening activities. As David settled in, he wondered whether he shouldn’t try and call her room to wish her goodnight.

As he stared at the kitchen receiver, debating whether she might still be out, or perhaps already turned in in anticipation for her speech tomorrow, he jumped as the phone rang.

Smiling to himself, he picked up the phone and brought it to his ear.

“I was just thinking of you,” he said warmly, amazed yet again at how they thought so similarly.

But rather than his wife’s amused chuckle or quip, he heard someone’s labored breathing and his heart sunk.

“Helen?” he asked sharply, dread filling him.

The voice whimpered and David drew the phone away from his face to check the number. The caller id told him that it was a London number, but wasn’t the one Helen had been ringing him on from the hotel.

“Who’s there?” he asked.

Again, the soft whimper and in the background, he heard the sounds of loud conversation. Whoever had called sounded to be in distress. His heart began to race, the hairs on the back of his neck standing up.

“Dad?”

“Hermione?” he gasped into the handset. She didn’t reply as his anxiety turned to panic. “Hermione, what’s wrong?”

Her only reply was a muffled sob.

“Hermione, where are you? Let me know and I’ll be on my way.”

“I’m in a pub,” she replied in an uncertain voice. “I asked to borrow their phone, but I’m not sure-“

“Just tell me where.” Already David was marching towards the cupboard to grab a coat and shoes, looking around wildly for his keys. “Hermione, tell me where you are and I’ll come and get you.” 

Another gasping sob. “I’m alright, I just-“ she broke off and in the background, he could hear the mummer of an excited crowd. “Can I come home?”

“Yes,” he said without breathing. “Yes, Hermione, always.”

“Okay,” she replied, her voice still trembling. “I can’t apparate into the house so, I just wanted to make sure-“

“Just come,” he assured her, “I’ll be waiting by the door.”

It was only seconds until a sharp pop announced her arrival at the back entrance but his mind had already gone through a dozen scenarios, each more terrible than the last. He’d always known that magic was dangerous, had seen through her lies and deflections about how terrible her world truly was. For years he’d been waiting, fearful of the day she would call—or worse, someone else— to say that she had been hurt in a way that couldn’t be healed.

Receiver still in his hand he fumbled with the lock and he didn’t get a good look at her before she fell over the threshold and into his arms. She was sobbing, more intensely than before as she clung to him.

“Hermione,” he whispered, pulling her through the door and shutting out the cool air. “It’s alright, I’ve got you.”

He was relieved to see she wasn’t hurt, not physically at least and though it took some time she eventually was able to calm enough to sit at the table, taking her usual place, sniffing as he made them both tea.

“What’s happened?” he asked her calmly.

Hermione looked on the verge of uncontrolled tears again and she winced before she spoke. “It’s Ron,” she whispered and David felt terrible that his heart lifted. “He’s been cursed, an—and, and I—“

“Hermione,” he whispered, laying a hand on her back.

“Dad I don’t think he’s going to wake up.”

They sat next to one another at the kitchen table, closer than they’d been in years.

“What’s happened?” he asked her calmly.

Her face screwed up again and he feared her breaking down again. David reached over, putting his hand over his daughters.

“Only if you’re ready.”

Hermione nodded, composing herself and took a long drink of tea without her hand ever leaving his.

“He was cursed, at work. He was on assignment and apparently was made and whomever he was targeting cursed him.” Her voice was hoarse, stunned. “We didn’t realize, not until he started feeling ill over dinner and I took him straight to the hospital only they had a hard time identifying it and he lost consciousness before they could and, and, they-“

She shook and struggled for air.

“They figured it out, only so much time has passed and now they don’t know if he’ll ever wake up. It's been weeks and nothing has changed and even if he does they don’t know whether or not—“ she gasped for air and stared at him desperately, “Dad, I can’t lose him. I’m too young.”

“I know,” he said calmly.

“And I know what you’re going to say that I ran away and I should know the risks but part of me always thought that once we survived what we did that we’d be immune to the rest of it but we’re not and he’s-“

“Hermione,” he said calmly and she stared at him. “I wasn’t going to say that at all.”

She looked at him, unconvinced.

“He is your husband,” he said softly. “And you love him and I would never wish this upon either of you.”

Under the soft light, he could tell she hadn’t been sleeping. Deep bags under her eyes showed her exhaustion and when her eyes weren’t frantic they closed for long periods of time.

“I know there isn’t much I can do for Ron,” he said in a voice she knew was kind. “But please, stay here tonight Hermione. Let me take care of you.”

She nodded sleepily, her eyes drooping again.

“I’ll make up your bed and you know your mother keeps a healthy stock of spare toothbrushes.”

Even when they’d been Monica and Wendell the habit had stuck. It had been one of the first things he’d unpacked down there, an entire box filled with dental health paraphernalia.

Hermione smiled at him. “Don’t worry, I don’t travel without one.”

She patted the bag that only seemed more ragged each time David saw his daughter. For a moment he wondered why she refused to start using the replacement handbags that Helen bought her every year at Christmas, but didn’t think it polite to ask.

“Come along,” he said, standing and gesturing towards the stairs. “I’ve got you, Hermione.”


End file.
